The name Bousfield arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bousfield family lived in Cumberland. This name is thought by historians to have been taken from a family who came from Bousville, Normandy in the 1066 invasion. Other records show a hamlet named Bousfield one mile from Orton in Westmorland.

Early History of the Bousfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bousfield research.Another 180 words (13 lines of text) covering the year 1066 is included under the topic Early Bousfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bousfield Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bousfield, Bousville, Bousefield, Bouseville and others.

Early Notables of the Bousfield family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Bousfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bousfield family to the New World and Oceana

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bousfield or a variant listed above:

Bousfield Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Bousfield who settled in Philadelphia in 1820

Contemporary Notables of the name Bousfield (post 1700)

Nathaniel George Philips Bousfield (1829-1883), English politician, Member of Parliament for Bath in 1874